The Arrangement
by Mrskroy
Summary: Sookie Stackhouse has worked as Eric Northman's right-hand woman for over five years, being his closest confidant while helping him run his family's empire. When a sudden tragedy turns Sookie's life upside down, Eric makes her an unexpected offer that she just can't refuse. Rated M for future content.


**A/N: Hello, my friends! Many sincere apologies for the over a year disappearance on my part. 2019 was not a kind year to me at all, so taking a step back and focusing on myself and my family was my number one priority. 2020 is going to be all about self-care, though, and writing more frequently will be part of that plan! Many thanks to Asrailefay for keeping me sane during my time away. She not only is the absolute best beta, but a rock to lean on when I most need it. Alrighty...I hope you enjoy this new little ditty!**

* * *

"Sook? There's someone from Red Ditch Elementary on line one for you," Amelia Broadway announced, poking her head around the doorway. "Said it was an urgent matter and they've been trying your cell phone."

Sookie Stackhouse looked up from the proposal she had been studying, narrowing her eyes as she processed the secretary's message. "I'm knee deep in gala prep, so my phone's been buried in my drawer. Red Ditch is Hunter's school. Did they say what it was that they wanted?" she asked as she moved to locate her cell phone, letting out a groan when she saw her screen light up with five missed calls and just as many voicemails.

Amelia shrugged as she shook her head, looking down at the time on her own cell phone. "All they said was it was urgent. I'll tell Eric to go ahead into the meeting and that you'll be along as soon as you can," she offered with a smile, then backed out to give Sookie some privacy.

Sookie let out a sigh as she moved her papers out of the way, pushing away the slight feeling of annoyance as she reached for her office phone. "Northman Holdings Group, Sookie Stackhouse speaking."

"Ms. Stackhouse? My name is Halleigh Robinson and I'm one of the third-grade teachers here at Red Ditch Elementary. I apologize for bothering you at work, but you're listed as one of Hunter Savoy's emergency contacts?"

"Yes, that's correct," Sookie answered, her brown furrowing in confusion. "Hunter is my nephew," she added, not feeling like getting into the semantics of her family tree. "Is everything alright? Shouldn't you be calling Remy or Hadley?" Movement in the doorway caught her attention, an apologetic smile coming to her face as she saw a figure leaning against her doorway. 'One moment,' she mouthed as she held up a finger, turning back to her conversation as she heard the teacher's voice rambling a little. "I'm sorry Ms. Robinson, I was distracted for a moment there. Could you repeat that?"

A small sigh could be heard over the line, followed by a few moments of silence. "We've _tried_ calling Mr. and Mrs. Savoy multiple times over the last hour, Ms. Stackhouse. Our after-school program ended at four o'clock and we ask that parents pick up their children no later than a half hour past that, but neither of them showed to pick up Hunter. This is highly unusual for them to be late without notice, so I wasn't sure if you'd heard from them and knew where they were. Or if you'd be able to come and pick up Hunter yourself?"

"I'm so sorry, but I'm in located in Shreveport," Sookie answered quietly, her eyes flitting towards the clock as she wracked her brain for answers. It was nearly a two-hour drive to Red Ditch, not taking into account the rush hour traffic that there would currently be. She'd wholeheartedly agreed when Hadley had floated the idea of being an emergency contact for Hunter's school, knowing that the chances of neither of his parents being reachable were insanely slim. But as her heart began to beat a little bit faster, she scrambled to figure out a solution. "Let me give his parents a try myself and see if I can't reach them. I have a number for one of their neighbors…she's someone who watches Hunter from time to time and I know they'd be okay with her picking him up."

Sookie hung up the phone after promising to call the worried teacher back soon, gathering the various folders off of her desk as she moved towards the doorway. "Why aren't you in the meeting?! You know Lafayette goes all drama queen when he's kept waiting, Eric," she said with a huff, scrolling through her contacts in her cell phone as she moved out into the hallway.

"Lafayette won't die if we make him wait a few minutes. Besides…there's no way I'm going into that meeting without you. Last time I was on my own, he tried to play footsies with me," Eric Northman said with a slight smile, holding out a hand to take the folders from Sookie. "Everything okay?" he asked as they started to make their way towards the bank of elevators, noticing how distracted his companion was.

Sookie shook her head as she pushed the button to call the elevator, nervously chewing her bottom lip as she called Hadley's number. "Hadley and Remy were no-shows at after-school pickup today. Now I need to either track them down or get in touch with a neighbor to pick Hunter up," she explained, letting out a sound of frustration as she reached her cousin's voicemail. "Where the hell are you, Had? Hunter's been waiting for you and now you've got me worried. Call me as soon as you can, preferably _before _I get my first gray hair."

Sookie's phone began to ring at that moment, the area code notifying her that it most likely was the school calling her again. "Ms. Robinson? I'm so sorry, but I'm still trying to track them down. How's Hunter doing?"

A throat cleared on the other line, and then a clearly masculine voice began to speak. "Ms. Stackhouse? My name is Andy Bellefleur. I'm an officer for the town of Red Ditch, Louisiana. Are you familiar with a Remy and Hadley Savoy?"

Sookie stood rooted to her spot as the elevator dinged and the doors opened, unable to break eye contact with Eric as her heart began to beat fast once more. "Hadley is my cousin and Remy is her husband. Is…is everything okay, Officer Bellefleur?" She didn't even notice as Eric moved to quickly stand beside her, barely feeling the warmth of his hand as it settled on her back.

There was silence on the line that dragged on for what felt like an eternity, then Officer Bellefleur nervously cleared his throat again. "My apologies, Ms. Stackhouse, but there was a vehicular accident today involving both Mr. and Mrs. Savoy. You…you were listed as Mrs. Savoy's next of kin. I'm so sorry to inform you this way, but they didn't make it."

That was the last thing that Sookie heard before everything faded to black, her cellphone falling out of her hand as she fainted dead away.

* * *

Eric Northman could still vividly remember the day that Sookie Stackhouse walked into his life. Or, more accurately, could remember when_ he'd_ walked into _her_ life. He'd just arrived in Shreveport, fresh off of spending the summer months in Europe, and was due to meet his father at their flagship hotel for a 'what are you going to do next with your life?' type of meeting. He'd graduated from Tulane with his MBA that May and knew that he was expected to start taking up some responsibilities with his family's company, but a large portion of him was hesitant to give up the life of partying that he'd grown accustomed to. That all had changed, though, the moment he'd first laid eyes on _her_.

_Middle of September, 2011_

_Eric begrudgingly removed his sunglasses as he stepped into the lobby, wincing a little as even the soft lighting was threatening to add to the misery of his hangover. His eyes swept over the bustling lobby, watching as the various guests came and went about their day. He smirked as he noticed a few women staring at him, giving them a cocky smile as he made his way towards the concierge desk. His steps fumbled a little when, instead of seeing the long-time concierge Bobby, he spied an unfamiliar blonde behind the desk with what looked like her 'business smile' plastered to her face._

"_Welcome to the South by North. How may I help you?"_

_It took Eric a few moments to realize that the woman had said something to him, his eyes having been trained on her plump lips as they moved. A dazzling smile came to his face as he pulled himself together, his fingers deftly plucking a business card out of the holder in front of him. "You could start by letting me know what time you're done with work, Sookie Stackhouse, so that I can take you out to dinner," he said flirtatiously, a brow raised as he waited for her reply._

_Sookie raised a brow to mirror Eric's, rolling her eyes slightly as she turned back towards her computer. "If that's how you're going to talk to all of your female employees, Mr. Northman, I suspect we'll need more HR staff to handle all the complaints," she said evenly, not looking up at him as she activated a key card. "Your father asked that I inform you that you're to meet him for dinner in the restaurant at 5pm. All that you need should be in your room, but please don't hesitate to call down if you're missing something," she added, setting the keycard up on the counter for him._

_Eric reached for the card, jolting a little as his hand brushed against Sookie's. His eyes held hers as they stared at each other in silence for a few moments, his tongue darting out to moisten his dry lips. "Why did you act like I was just another guest, if you knew who I was? Usually staff will fall head over heels to cater to me." _

_Sookie shook her head a little, smiling at the guest that had come to stand in line behind Eric. "Your…_reputation_ precedes you, Mr. Northman. I was curious to see if you'd try a line on me. And, somewhat to my dismay, you did not disappoint." She turned back to her computer once more, starting to type. "Now if you'd excuse me, I have other guests to attend to. I hope you enjoy your stay with us."_

_Eric was flabbergasted as he picked up his bag and moved away from the desk, shaking his head with a little laugh. Never had he met a woman who had put him his place quite like Sookie had, which only made him want to get to know her more._

So, Eric had agreed wholeheartedly when his father had laid the ground rules for his future with Northman Holdings, surprising them both a little with his eagerness to take on a task that he had previously been so vehemently against. He began to slowly collect information on the mysterious Sookie Stackhouse from other workers, starting to put together the enigmatic puzzle as he settled into life as the new General Manager of the South by North.

Sookie had started out in housekeeping at age sixteen, working harder than any other worker that had been there for years. She quickly began rising in the ranks, moving from department to department, until landing the pivotal role of Head Concierge at age twenty. Eric soon learned that Sookie was well-respected by everyone, including his father, and that she always made sure to turn that respect right back around. She also went toe-to-toe with Eric in every single one of their interactions. Which was why, when his father retired a couple of years later and handed the reins of the company to Eric, he made sure to instantly promote the captivating blonde to be his new executive assistant.

No matter how much he'd tried over the past eight years, Sookie had refused each and every one of Eric's advances and put him in his place almost instantly. But, much to his delight, the two fell into a bit of a daily rhythm and were like a well-oiled machine. She was also the only person who had ever understood him perfectly, someone who quickly became his best friend and confidant; someone who he had fallen head over heels in love with. So, when she suddenly grew pale and started to sway, her phone slipping out of her hand and clanking to the floor, his heart leapt into his throat as he moved forward to catch her. "I've got you, Sookie," he murmured as he shifted her in his arms, glancing down as he heard a raised voice come from her forgotten phone. "I've got you," he repeated, moving towards the waiting elevator.

* * *

Sookie rested her head against the window as the car flew down the highway, too numb to even berate the excessive speed. It had taken a generous glass of whiskey before she'd been able to explain to Eric what had caused her fainting spell, unable to protest when he cancelled their meetings for the next week and shuffled her down to his waiting car. It hadn't surprised her that Eric had insisted he be the one to accompany her to Red Ditch, knowing that over the years he'd struck up a bond with Hadley and Remy and now thought them to be part of his family as well.

Sookie swallowed hard as she remembered the look on Eric's face as she told him the details of the call from Red Ditch, the devastation she saw in his eyes causing her heart to break even more. But he'd pulled it together and had taken charge of the situation, something she would always be grateful to him for. While she and Eric had never truly seen eye to eye over the years, him being the incorrigible playboy and her a cautious woman who had always heavily guarded her heart, she couldn't really imagine life without him in it at this point. A fact that terrified her almost as much as it delighted her.

"Thank you, Eric," she murmured as she turned her head to give him a weak smile, reaching over to give his hand that was resting on the shifter a small squeeze. "It's been a while since I've felt so lost and not in control. Having you here means more than you'll ever know."

"I'll always be there when you need me, Sookie," Eric replied with a warm smile, lifting their still-joined hands to press a kiss to the back of hers. He hadn't fully registered what he was doing until his lips had touched her skin, the jolt that shot through his body causing him to release her hand and turn his attention back to the road. "I, uh…I think we're almost there," he offered once he'd cleared his throat and gotten a handle on himself, taking the next exit and driving into Red Ditch.

Sookie let out a shaky breath as she tried to ignore the tingle that Eric's lips had left behind on her skin, nodding her head as she sat back in her seat. While it was true that she had spent eight years keeping Eric at bay, not wanting to mess with the dynamic that they had worked so hard to create, there was no use denying that she was attracted to him. "The police department is just up there on the right," she said softly as they drove down the main drag, taking a deep breath to center herself. Hell, who was she trying to kid? She wasn't just attracted to Eric; that would be too easy. Despite the hard work she put into making sure they never endangered their professional relationship or hurt their friendship, Sookie had found herself falling in love with him.

* * *

Speaking with Officer Bellefleur was far tougher than Sookie could have ever prepared herself for, though the older man did his best to give details about the accident without painting too grisly of a picture. Remy and Hadley had been on their way to pick up Hunter from school, only to be sideswiped by a woman who had indulged in three too many Happy Hour cocktails. She'd blown through a stop sign and smashed into the passenger side of the car, hitting them with enough force to send the family's well-loved station wagon rolling into a nearby tree.

Sookie's hands gripped the arms of her chair, very aware of the fact that her body was starting to shake a little. "Had…Hadley texted me the other day to say how excited she was that both her and Remy had gotten a weekday off together. Usually one would pick Hunter up because the other was working, but this time they'd be able to go get him together," she whispered as she felt her stomach start to turn, doing her best to focus on Eric's hand that had been consistently rubbing her back since they'd sat down. "Any other day, and at least one of them would still be alive," she added with a small sob, jumping to her feet as her stomach began to revolt even more. "I'm sorry; excuse me."

Eric watched helplessly as Sookie darted from the room, waiting a few moments before getting to his feet as well. "Thank you for all of your help with everything, Officer. I'm sure Sookie will be in touch if she has any questions, and will be more than willing to answer any others that you might have." He shook hands with the older gentleman, doing his best to get his own emotions under control as he walked out of the office. Over the years he had received invitations to Hunter's birthday parties and other family events, things that he had enjoyed accompanying Sookie to. He'd found a good friend in Remy and adored Hadley, so the fact that they were gone cut him to the core.

But as he leaned against the wall outside the nearest bathroom, wincing slightly as he heard the faint sounds of someone getting sick, he knew he had to be strong for Sookie. Lord knows how many times she'd come through for him over the years; now it was his turn to be her rock. "Can I get you anything?" he asked once Sookie had come out of the bathroom, drawing her into a hug and kissing the top of her head.

Sookie shook her head as she held onto Eric for a few moments, wiping at her eyes as she stepped back from his embrace. "You know me…I never travel without a bottle of emergency mouthwash," she answered with a weak smile, brushing away invisible lint from her dress pants. "The case worker should be here any moment with Hunter," she continued softly, turning around moments later at the sound of running feet.

"Aunt Sookie!"

Sookie dropped to her knees, opening her arms to catch the body that hurtled towards her. "Hey there, little man," she said with a sniffle, trying to get her emotions under control as she hugged Hunter tightly. "I swear, you must've grown five inches since last month!" she declared with a laugh, though inside her heart was breaking. Just thinking of all of the things that Remy and Hadley would be missing out on, whether it was big life events or simply Hunter growing a little taller, nearly broke the dam that she'd forced herself to build. "Why don't you go say hi to Eric, and then we'll all go sit down together," she murmured as she got to her feet, blinking away tears as she watched the boy gleefully launch himself at Eric.

"Miss Stackhouse? I'm Luna Garza, the case worker assigned to Hunter," the woman who had trailed behind Hunter offered, extending her hand with a warm smile. "I'm truly sorry for your loss. Red Ditch is a somewhat close community, so we're all reeling by what happened today," she added softly, motioning towards an open conference room. "Why don't we sit down in here to talk. There are some toys and books that Hunter can play with while we sort things out."

Sookie shook the woman's hand, giving her a watery smile. "I appreciate your kind words, ma'am," she said as she followed her into the conference room, her heart warming a little as Eric automatically steered Hunter towards the play area and sat down with him. "How much does Hunter know? I mean…I assume y'all didn't tell him everything, but I wasn't sure what was actually said to him."

Luna opened one of the files in front of her, giving Sookie a sympathetic smile. "He knows that his parents were in an accident, but that's all so far. We figured it was best to have a familiar face nearby before he was given the news," she said softly, observing Hunter interact with Eric for a few moments. "As you know, neither Mr. nor Mrs. Savoy had much in the way of family," she continued, flipping through the papers in front of her. "From what I can tell…it's really just you and your brother?"

Sookie nodded her head, turning her head to watch as Eric pulled Hunter close to read him a story. "Remy was an only child, and his parents had died a few years before he met Hadley…and even then, both of his parents had been only children. Hadley's mama took off when Hadley was a baby, so our grandmother raised her. Gran passed a few years back, and it's just been me and Jason since then," she offered with a shaky breath, excusing herself as she rifled through her purse to grab a tissue. "He's overseas on a business trip right now, so I haven't even had a chance to let him know what's happened."

Luna paused in her page turning, glancing towards Eric and Hunter. "If you don't mind my asking, who is it that accompanied you? I assumed he was your brother, since Hunter seems very familiar and comfortable with him."

Sookie let out a small laugh and shook her head. "My apologies for completely forgetting my manners and introducing you. That would be my boss, Eric Northman. He was with me when I got the news, so he made sure I got here safely." She smiled warmly as she watched Eric hold Hunter close and begin to rock a little, her eyes watering a little as she realized the young boy had fallen asleep. "I've worked for Eric for quite some time now, so he's had opportunities over the years to bond with Hunter, Hadley, and Remy. Anything that you need to say can be said with him in the room."

Luna nodded with a small smile. "No apologies necessary. I know times like this can be very stressful, so I'm glad you have someone to lean on." She reached over to place a document in front of Sookie, clearing her throat before she proceeded to explain things. "The Savoy's have expressed to many individuals, whether it be teachers or the local officials that they became friendly with, that you are who they would choose to be Hunter's guardian should anything ever happen to them."

Sookie looked over the paperwork, frowning a little as her eyes caught certain phrases through the document. "If they chose me, why does this talk about 'temporary placement' and making final decisions at a later time?" She knew what the case worker said was true, for Hadley had said more than once that she and Remy wanted Sookie to take care of Hunter if the worst-case scenario happened.

Luna gave Sookie a sympathetic smile, pausing for a moment to formulate her words. "While the Savoy's clearly have chosen you for the guardianship role, they unfortunately never had it legally documented. Because of this, guardianship can only be temporary until my office deems that placement with you is the best choice for Hunter." She was quiet for a few moments, letting Sookie mull over what had just been said. "With that in mind…even _if _there had been documentation filed, we would still need to work with you for some time to be sure that the situation was one that Hunter would thrive in."

Sookie nodded mutely, her brain going a mile a minute as she read over the papers again. "I, uh…I know it might be frowned upon for uprooting him, but my condo and work are in Shreveport. Would that still be feasible?" she asked softly, but didn't wait for an answer before continuing to ramble, "I'd need to look into getting a different unit, since I only have one bedroom. I-I'll call my leasing agent first thing in the morning to see what's available, and I can let you know. I'll make arrangements to dial back at work as well, so that I'm not at work when he's home from school," she added, already mentally freaking out as to how she would manage to pull back on her already overloaded schedule.

Luna let out a small sigh, giving Sookie another sympathetic, yet warm, smile. She felt bad for the young woman, knowing that she wanted to do whatever she could to help Hunter. But at the same time, Luna didn't want to lead her down a road that would end up in heartbreak if things didn't work out. "Miss Stackhouse, let me be honest with you here. We really would prefer to see Hunter in a more stable household, especially one that would be able to offer both a male presence and room to grow. I will definitely sign off on the temporary guardianship, as I feel Hunter would do best with a familiar face while he's dealing with such a big loss…but in the end, it may be best that he be placed with one of our foster families here in town."

Eric had been silently listening to their conversation as Hunter slept in his arms, though he shifted the young boy over to the nearby couch once he realized where the conversation was heading. He said a silent prayer that Sookie wouldn't murder him right then and there, then got to his feet and moved to stand behind her chair. "It won't be long before we'll have more than enough room, sweetheart," he said with a smile, giving her shoulder a squeeze as he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head.

Eric felt Sookie stiffen a little under his touch, noticed the confusion in the case worker's eyes. This spur of the moment plan would either pay off in spades or blow up in his face. And for all of their sakes, he hoped it would pay off. "In all of the chaos, Sookie must've forgotten what happened last weekend. I asked her to take the next big step in our relationship…and she said yes."

* * *

**A/N: And that's all for now! I hope you enjoyed this first part and will stick around on this crazy ride with me. Until next time!**


End file.
